Table construction



July 18, 1939. P. RosENBERG ET AL TABLE CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 13, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS P. ROSENBERG ET AL TABLE CONSTRUCTION July 18, 1939.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 13, 1937 ,45 forming members I.

Patented July 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TABLE CONSTRUCTION New York Application November 13, 1937, Serial No. 174,324

8 Claims.

This invention relates more particularly to improvements in work tables. Important objects of the invention are to provide an improved work table of the set-up and knock-down type; to provide such a table whose parts are designed for cooperation to hold them accurately positioned in the assembly; to provide a table designed to facilitate assembly and take-down of its parts and designed also for collapse into a very compact form for shipment or storage; to provide for readily varying the size of the table to suit the needs of its service; to provide such a table of improved sheet metal construction and with its parts designed tok co-operate in the table assembly for great strength and durability; and to provide such a table requiring few bolts or like fastening elements to hold the parts assembled.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a sectional perspective view of the improved table, looking toward the under side thereof and showing one of the cross beams partly removed and the foot section of one of the legs detached;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section on the line 2 2 of'Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section on the line 3--3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View. of one of the clips employed for anchoring together the longitudinal top-forming members and the transverse beams;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. l, with parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View of the table taken along a longitudinal central line and With parts broken away;

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan View of a corner portion of the table top; and

Fig. 8 is an inverted fragmentary perspective View illustrating the action of the locking cam means upon the longitudinal top-forming members.

The table structure includes longitudinal top- These may be assembled in one or more sets according to the required length of the table. In the present instance there are two sets of said members arranged end to end. Each member is formed from al single strip of stili 50 sheet metal bent, along straight, parallel, longitu dinal lines, into a channel form. The member has a flat body portion Ia, vertically depending longitudinal side portions Ib and laterally opposed inturned flanges Ic at the lower edges of the side portions. The depth of the side portions is materially less than the width of the body portion, and the flanges Ic lie in a plane parallel to the main portion. The member forms a wide, flat, inverted channel with said iianges at its lower edges. All Vof the members I are of the same cross sectional shape and dimensions and of the same length.V They are arranged parallel and edge to edge in succession in a set, with their flat upper surfaces ush across the set. As shown the set may be covered by a stiff sheet 2 of fiber board or other suitable material and the latter may be secured to the set in any suitable manner.

Supporting beams 3 are arranged transversely beneath the members I. When the table includes two end-to-end sets of the members I there will preferably be ve of said cross beams located, two at the ends of th'e table top, one beneath the juncture of the sets and one between each end beam and the middle beam. When there is only one set there Will preferably be employed three beams located, two at the opposite ends of the set and one at the middle of the set. Each beam `is of channel form and made of a single strip of stiff sheet metal bent along straight parallel lines. The channel has a flat bottom portion 3a and flat sides 3b. All of the beams are of the same shape and size so that they are interchangeable in the assembly. They are arranged with their channels inverted and their at portions 3a in opposition tothe under faces of the flanges IC.

A series of clips 4 are spaced along each beam 3. Each clip is formed from a single piece of stifl sheet metal. It has a ilat, substantially rectangular body portion 4a with downwardly bent leg portions -lb at its opposite ends. At their lower ends the leg portions 4b are bent inwardly and upwardly to form hook-like iianges 4c. Along its opposite edges the body portion 4a has margins bent inward to form hook-like flanges 4d in lateral opposition. The clip is shaped and proportioned to straddle the beam 3, with the flat portion Ila of the clip bearing against the upper surface of the portion 3a of the beam, the leg portions 4b bearing against the sides of the beam, and the clip flanges llc receiving the lower edges of the beam. The upper anges 4d are formed and arranged to receive the adjacent oppositely extending anges I c of a pair of the members I which are in abutting relation, as shown in Fig. 2. The members I and the beam have sliding fits within the clip and the latter is formed to make substantial engagement With said elements. The flanges 4C are of material length longitudinally of the beam and the flanges IId are of material length longitudinally of the members I.

There is a series of the clips 4 spaced along each beam 3 and they anchor all of the topforming members together in series across the table top and also anchor them to the beams 3. Each clip has its body portion 4a directly beneath the abutting edges of a pair of the adjacent members I and interposed between the upper side of the beam and the under sides of the oppositely extending anges Ic of said adjacent members.

The beams 3 have bolt holes at their opposite ends, and the outermost top-forming members I have bolt holes 5 in their flanges IC. These holes are spaced along the end portions of said flanges and also along a medial portion of the length of the anges. Through said holes in the beams and in the flanges Ic the beam ends are bolted to the top-forming members I, as at 6. When only one set of the members I is employed in the table both of the end beams are bolted in positions entirely beneath the end portions of the set. When however an additional set is employed to lengthen the table, one of the end beams is bolted in a position to underlie the abutting ends of both sets and provide support for both. The number and spacing of the holes 5 is such as to enable said end beam to be adjusted inward and outward to suit tables of different lengths. rThe bolt holes are provided at both ends of each set so that either end of a set may be joined to another set. At the joints between sets the outermost members of one of the sets bear short channel sections 1, fitted for half their length within said members I and secured in any suitable manner, as by spot welding for example. The projecting portions of said channel sections are fitted within the opposed end portions of the outermost members I of the other set. These channel sections serve to reinforce the outermost members I at their joints and keep the joints flush at the edges of the table. At the ends of the table top the ends of the channel members I are covered by sheet metal nishing strips 8 of channel form. As shown, the edges of said strips may be fitted, one between the cover Sheet 8 and the upper edge margin of the set of-memb'ers I, and the other edge between the clips and the under sides of the members I.

Provision is made for locking the members I of each set against relative longitudinal displacement.

A channel bar 9 made of a single strip of stiff sheet metal is disposed crosswise beneath each set and is detachably held to the outermost members by bolts I0. The latter are passed through longitudinal slots II in the end portions of the bar and through holes in the inner flanges Ic of said outermost members I, This mounting of the bar enables it to be shifted endwise across the set. Rigidly secured to an outer side of the bar, by welding or otherwise, is a series ofspaced locking cam plates I2. These are also made of stiff sheet metal and each has a longitudinal edge turned over to form a reinforcing fiange I3. Atone end each plate has an inclined cam edge I4 and the cam edges of all the plates face downward and forward in the same direction along the bar. Each forms, together with the upper side of the bar, a V cleft to receive one of the anges Ic. There is one cam plate for one of the flanges Ic of each member I exclusive of the outermost members of the set. The cam edges I4 are so disposed with reference to the opposed anges Ic that by driving the bar in one direction said anges will be engaged by the cam edges and cramped into tight binding engagement with the upper surface of the bar. This will simultaneously lock all of the members I engaged by the cam plates to the locking bar and hold them against endwise displacement relatively to each other. Since the outermost members I are held to the bar by the bolts I it is obvious that said members will also be held against endwise displacement in the set. In order to hold the bar against accidental slacking back or retraction from locking position the edges of the slots I I have notches I for snap, holding engagement with the bolts I0. The bar may be driven endwise in the opposite direction to release the locking cams from the flanges Ic.

The table top structure just described is supported by legs I6, There are a pair of legs for each end beam 3 and a pair for the middle beam. Eachv leg is of channel form and made of stiff sheet metal. The legs of each pair are snugly fitted at their upper ends within the respective channel beam 3. Each leg has at its lower end an extensible section or foot I'I formed to t around the channel cross section of the leg and hook around the edges of the leg as at I8. The foot is slidably adjustable along the leg to level the table and it is held adjusted by a bolt and nut connection I9. The bolt passes through a hole in the foot and through a vertical slot 2U in the leg. Above the feet a transverse brace in the form of a channel bar 2Il made of a single strip of sheet metal connects the legs of each pair and is detachably bolted thereto, as at 22. At their upper ends the legs are braced by metal strips 23 obliquely arranged and detachably secured at their upper and lower ends, as at 24 and 25, to certain of the flanges Ic and to the legs respectively, Other similar brace strips 26, obliquely arranged in planes. at right angles to the rst strips, are detachably Secured at their upper and lower ends, as at 2'I and 28, to the sidesrof the beams 3 and to the sides of the legs respectively.

It will be seen that the invention provides a very strong and durable work table and one in which all of the parts with the exception of the few bolt connections are made of sheet metal. All of the sheet metal parts are designed for construction by simple manufacturing processes and they are designed also for both individual strength and mutual reinforcement. In the table top assembly the form and arrangement of the members I, the beams 3 and the clips 4 are such that they cooperate to maintain the flat upper surfaces of the members I ush.

In setting up the table assembly the top-forming members I are arranged edge to edge in succession and the retaining flanges 4d of the clips 4 are engaged with the cooperating retaining flanges Ic of the members I. The clips are then slid along the members I to aline them in properly spaced transverse series to receive the beams 3. The depending edges of the beams are engaged in the hook-like lower flanges 4c of the clips and the beams are slid through their respective series of clips and bolted at their ends to the outermost top-forming members I. The locking bar 9 is attached to the set of members I by the screws I0 and driven endwise to lock said members to the bar. This completes the table top assembly. The supporting legs and their braces are nally assembled and secured in place. In taking down the table the posts may all be separated, or the top structure may be left as a unitary assembly and the pairs of legs and their braces may valso be left assembled after detachment from the top structure. The parts are all designed so that they will pack into a compact space for storage or shipment.

What we claim is:

1. A table top structure comprising a number of straight, parallel top-forming members, a beam beneath said members and disposed transversely thereof, clips to retain said top-forming members and beam assembled, and interlocking connections between said clips and the topforming members and between the clips and the beam constructed and arranged to permit endwise sliding of said members and beam into and out of operative connection with the clips; a locking bar at the under side of the top-forming members and extending crosswise thereof, mountings for said bar borne by several of the top-forming members and adapting the bar to shift endwise. and locking cam means borne by the locking bar and engageable with the other top-forming members by endwise shift of the bar.A to lock ythe topforming members to the locking bar against endwise shift relatively to each other.

2. A table top structure comprising a set of straight, parallel top-forming members of inverted channel form and having opposed inwardly extending retaining flanges along their opposite lower longitudinal edges, a beam of inverted channel form beneath said top-forming members and disposed transversely thereof, clips spaced along said beam and retaining said members and beam assembled and each having opposed hook-like retaining flanges hooked around said retaining flanges borne by adjacent edges of an adjacent pair of the top-forming members and hook-like retaining flanges hooked around the opposite lower longitudinal edges of the beam, said retaining connections between the clips, the top-forming members and the beam permitting endwise sliding of said members and the beam into and out of operative connection with the clips; and a locking bar disposed transversely beneath said set of top-forming members and mounted on the set for endwise shifting and having locking cams engageable with certain of said retaining ilanges of the top-forming members upon endwise shifting of said bar to releasably lock said members to the bar against endwise shifting of the members relatively to each other.

3. A table top assembly comprising a plurality of straight, parallel top-forming members, and retaining means connected to said members to hold them against transverse displacement relatively to each other and permit them to shift endwise into and out of operative connection with the retaining means; and a locking bar disposed transversely of said members and borne by said assembly to shift endwise and having locking means engageable with said members by endwise shift of the bar to lock said members against endwise displacement relatively to each other.

4. A table top assembly comprising a plurality of straight, parallel top-forming members, and retaining means connected to said members to hold them against transverse displacement relatively to each other and permit them to shift endwise into and out of operative connection with the retaining means; and a locking bar disposed transversely of said members and borne by said assembly to shift endwise and having locking cam means engageable with the topforming members by endwise shift of the bar to lock said members to the bar against endwise displacement relatively to each other.

5. An elongated knock-down table top structure comprising a plurality of similar sets of similar, separable top-forming members extending in the sets straight lengthwise of the table and flat at their upper sides and side by side in a common plane in each set, the sets being arranged in` a common plane and with the top-forming members of the `different sets in endwise opposed relation, a plurality of crossbeams underlying and spaced along the sets and one thereof medially located to underlie the opposed ends of the sets, a plurality of clips spaced along each of said beams and transversely retaining together in series the said top-forming members overlying the beam and also retaining them down upon the beam, the clips along said medially located beam being common to the opposed sets and retaining the said members of each set to each other in series and the members of the opposed sets to the beam, and releasable fastening elements securing the end portions of each of said beams to the outermost ones of the overlying top-forming members, the said clips, beams and top-forming members being constructed and arranged for endwise sliding detachment of the beams and topforming members from the clips after release of said beam-fastening elements, for separation of the top-forming members, the beams and the clips.

6. A table top structure according to claim 5, characterized in that each of the said top-forming membersl comprises an inverted channel beam having opposed inturned retaining flanges along its lower edges, and each of the said clips comprises a body interposed between a side-by-side pair of said top-forming members and one of the said beams and having hook-like flanges slidably interlocked with the adjacent oppositely turned retaining flanges of said pair of members.

7. A table top structure according to claim 5, characterized in that eac-h of the said top-forming members comprises an inverted channel beam having opposed inturned retaining flanges along its lower edges, each of the said beams comprises an inverted channel to receive therein the upper end of a supporting leg structure, and each of the said clips comprises a flat body interposed between a side-by-side pair of said top-forming members and one of said beams and having hooklike flanges slidably interlocked with the adjacent oppo'sitely turned retaining flanges of said pair of members, and said clip body also has depending hook-like flanges slidably interlocked with the lower edges of the underlying channel beam.

8. An elongated knock-down table topf structure comprising a plurality of similar sets of similar, separable top-forming members extending in the sets straight lengthwise of the table and flat at their upper sides and side-by-side in a common plane in each set, the sets being arranged in a` common plane and with the top-forming members of the different sets in endwise opposed relation, a plurality of crossbeams underlying and spaced along the sets and one thereof medially located to underlie the opposed ends of the sets, a plurality of clips spaced along each of said beams and transversely retaining together in series the said top-forming members overlying the beam and also retaining them down uponV the beam, the clips along said medially located beam being common to the opposed sets and retaining the said members of each set in series to each other and the members of the opposed sets to the beam, and releasable fastening elements securing the end portions of said beams to the outermost ones ofthe overlying top-forming mern bers, the said clips, beams and top-forming members being constructed and arranged for endwise sliding detachment of the top-forming members from the clips after release of said beam-fastening elements, for separation of the top-forming members and the beams.

PHILIP ROSENBERG, EMANUEL MICALLY. 

